A day after Indian embassy in Tripoli advised its citizens to leave Libya, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday asked her ministry to put additional staff there to enable smooth facilitation of return of Indian nationals from the strife-torn country.

The minister, who reviewed the situation in Libya, which is witnessing increased incidents of violence, also directed that additional staff be deployed in the Indian mission in Tunisia to assist Indian nationals who travel there by land route from Libya en route to India.

The Indian mission in Tripoli is in touch with the approximately 4,500 Indian nationals through 62 coordinators to facilitate their return and these include about 750 nurses, MEA said.

Several Indian nationals have started to return using the land route from Libya to Tunisia, MEA said, adding the mission was working with Libyan authorities to obtain necessary exit permissions for Indian nationals wanting to return.

“In cases of indigent Indian nationals funds from the Indian Community Welfare Fund will be utilised to assist in facilitating their travel back to India from Libya,” the ministry added.